Exacerbation of cervical osteochondrosis occurs after remission. The pathology develops in a chronic form. It is impossible to completely cope with osteochondrosis.
The disease develops due to a very active lifestyle, alcohol abuse, and nutritional problems.
Intervertebral discs reduce pressure on the vertebrae, but over the years the cartilage tissue wears away due to poor lifestyle choices. Regenerating cartilage tissue is not easy.
Reasons
Let's find out what triggers the symptoms of osteochondrosis:
- Some symptoms arise due to the deformation of the vertebrae, osteophytes appear.
- The position of the vertebrae changes in relation to each other, the arteries are pinched, and the blood supply to the nervous system declines.
- The appearance of complications due to the displacement of intervertebral discs also provokes pain in the nerve endings.
- When the nerves in the cervical spine are pinched, radicular syndrome appears.
- Constant restriction of muscle tissue in the neck at the computer or when driving a car.
How does cervical osteochondrosis occur?
In the neck area the size of the vertebrae is small. Exacerbation of cervical osteochondrosis occurs with special symptoms. Therefore, when the first symptoms occur, you must contact a specialist.The biggest problem is that patients do not notice the symptoms of the disease.
The first step
First, small cracks appear on the discs. The elasticity of cartilage tissue decreases, and pain appears in the neck if you do not change your position for a long time.
Second stage
Severe neck pain indicates the beginning of the second stage. The pain is getting worse due to the deformation of the intervertebral disc, dislocations appear.In rare cases, numbness of the hands and face occurs.
At the end of the day, the patient experiences pain in the neck, which flows further down the spine.
Aggravation is indicated by falling head syndrome, in which unbearable pain occurs, the head cannot be held up, you have to fix it with pillows or hands to reduce the symptom.
Third degree
The third stage of the disease shows itself clearly; the cause of the unpleasant symptoms cannot be attributed to overwork after physical exercise. At the third stage, the patient begins to feel sick, dizzy, tinnitus, and fainting often. Acute osteochondrosis is characterized by neck numbness and tinnitus.
Sometimes the symptoms of the disease disappear, but after a while, they reappear again and again. New symptoms appear and the pain becomes stronger.
How to behave during an exacerbation?
During an exacerbation, you should not rub warming ointments into your neck or massage a large area. If you feel symptoms of cervical osteochondrosis, you must try to rest and take the most comfortable position.
You need to lie on your back so that the muscle tissue stops straining. The attack does not go away on its own. You need to call a doctor to administer painkillers, then make an appointment with a specialist. Many people have painkillers in their home medicine cabinet. You can take these medicines so you don't have to call an ambulance.
First aid and treatment
The treatment is carried out by a specialist:
- Before the doctor comes, you must move as little as possible.
- Sit comfortably on the bed, do not burden the body.
- Take painkillers.
- Wait for the doctor.
The specialist prescribes antibiotics and medications to eliminate inflammatory processes. They are needed during aggravation.
Patients are prescribed chondroprotectors, which change the destructive processes in the discs and wake up speed indicators when they occur.
The course of treatment with such drugs is long, less than six months. They are able to prevent the worsening of the disease.
Medicines belonging to the category of muscle relaxants also help with osteochondrosis and relieve tension. Diuretics and vascular drugs, nootropics and B vitamins are also used.
During exacerbations, the disease is accompanied by pain, and a procedure called blockade is prescribed. Novocaine is injected into the area of the deformed vertebra. The symptoms can be alleviated quickly. We list non-drug treatment methods: exercise therapy, physiotherapy, massage.
It will be possible to reduce the severity of symptoms and alleviate exacerbation with the help of therapeutic exercises. You must do exercises daily to strengthen the muscles of the neck and spine. A weakened vertebra is better kept in place thanks to the developed muscles in the back.
Massage is mandatory, thanks to a full course, muscle tone is improved, spasms are eliminated, swelling is reduced, cerebrospinal fluid circulates better, and the blood supply is stabilized. Intervertebral discs stop deforming.
Other treatments
Thanks to the Shants collar, you can reduce the load on the cervical spine during exacerbations. Such a device will keep the neck in a normal position, the load on muscle tissue and vertebrae will be reduced. You need to set up your sleeping area properly; you will need a hard mattress with an orthopedic effect, as well as a pillow that does not bend your neck during rest.
If therapy is carried out when the attack begins, and everything is done correctly, the peak of the disease will come after some time. If the disease is not treated in time, the attack will come, but it will not be completely eliminated. In the future, you should expect several exacerbations, between which the pain will subside. Symptoms become painful during the attack.
What medications are used?
When the patient's condition worsens, medication must be used. The exacerbation is eliminated with the help of such medications. Anti-inflammatory or painkillers in tablets, ointments for local or external use. Muscle relaxants help eliminate muscle spasms, which often occur with pain.
Vitamin B improves the conduction of nerve impulses through neurons. It is first used as intramuscular injections, then patients are switched to tablets.If the disease increases blood pressure, calcium channels are blocked, inhibitors, ACE or combination agents.
When cervical osteochondrosis wakes up, its symptoms cause cerebral circulation. Therapeutic procedures involve the use of drugs for recovery. To do this, it is advisable to contact a specialist to get accurate recommendations on medications.
When patients have emotional disturbances, doctors prescribe sedatives, which may be herbal ingredients or tranquilizers. When choosing, specialists are often guided by the severity of these symptoms. Spinal blocks using novocaine are used for severe painful symptoms.
Surgical intervention
What to do in case of worsening cervical osteochondrosis if the above methods are not effective? It is necessary to undergo an examination; if complications are identified, a specialist may recommend a surgical procedure aimed at reducing compression and stabilizing the position of the vertebrae. Complications arise after such operations, so they are performed in extreme cases.
What to do at home?
Doctors do not recommend treating cervical osteochondrosis at home during exacerbations without prior consultation. You can take a painkiller, wear a scarf around your neck, and wait for the doctor to come. Depending on the severity of the process, therapy continues at home or in the hospital.
Symptoms of acute osteochondrosis worsen the quality of life, so urgent measures must be taken. Therapy should be done after diagnosis, doctor's conclusion, and exclusion of other pathological options.
Exacerbation of cervical osteochondrosis does not occur for a short time; the disorder does not go away on its own. Destructive processes in the cervical spine can develop and lead to complex consequences.
Exacerbation during pregnancy
The body of pregnant women changes at the physiological level, the level of hormone production changes, the center of gravity of the body changes due to the weight of the developing fetus. Minerals and nutrients are absorbed and absorbed more intensively. These changes have a serious impact on the musculoskeletal system. There is a lot of pressure on the spine.
The symptoms in women are the same as other patients. The difficulty in choosing a treatment regimen is that when prescribing drugs, their likely effect on the child must be taken into account. When dealing with exacerbations, ointments are used that do not harm the child.
During pregnancy, osteochondrosis relapse occurs in 50% of cases due to changes in the spine.
Sometimes, for complex pain, painkillers or injections are prescribed. Many pregnant women are treated using unconventional methods. Traditional medicine recipes are less harmful to the fetus.
Other ways to eliminate exacerbations
If it is not possible to visit a doctor, you can use some recipes to alleviate the general condition of patients with osteochondrosis in the cervical region. For example, a hot shower helps you relax. You can wear a woolen scarf or other clothing made of this material around your neck. Or apply herbal compresses to the affected area.
Onions, mint, and sage are also used for such purposes. Try making an ointment from mumiyo and butter. You can also round the neck in a stationary position so that the roots of the spinal cord do not move.
Gradual deterioration
If the relapse of the painful symptoms is moderate, you must go to a specialist. The patient can take painkillers and secure the neck with a collar, but only a specialist can choose the appropriate therapeutic procedure.
During worsecervical osteochondrosisprohibited:
- Place heating pads on your neck. The blood will flow intensively to the problem area, swelling will worsen, and the pain will be stronger.
- The cervical region should not be massaged so that it does not get out of position.
Manual therapy will be useful in such cases. A qualified professional can realign the vertebrae so that the nerve is not compressed.
Therapeutic measures
The main condition for the successful outcome of the disease is complex therapy. Treatment measures include the use of injections, tablets, ointments, special patches and physiotherapeutic procedures.
Medicines
Drug treatment is aimed at relieving pain, which is very pronounced in the acute period. Prescribed medications such as:
- Analgesics. They try to give an anesthetic injection before the ambulance arrives, because it can be very difficult for the patient to tolerate the pain. If a person suffers from osteochondrosis of the cervical spine, then he always has a painkiller in stock.
- Muscle relaxation. Their action is to reduce the spasm of the skeletal muscles in the cervical vertebrae.
- Non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs. They relieve pain well, relieve inflammation and help if the patient has a fever.
- vitamin preparations. To treat exacerbation of osteochondrosis, injectable preparations based on B vitamins are used. They help to restore nerve tissue that has been damaged due to pathological changes in the intervertebral region of the cervical spine.
- Methods for local therapy. To relieve the patient's condition, ointments and gels with anti-inflammatory and analgesic effects are prescribed. They are complementary therapy methods and are prescribed to enhance the effect of injected drugs. In addition, special drug-filled patches are used. For example, a patch containing diclofenac and lidocaine.
Manual therapy
Manual therapy is a method of treating osteochondrosis, which has proven itself only on the positive side, and has been used for many years. During this time, new techniques were developed, the use of which helps to alleviate the symptoms of cervical osteochondrosis exacerbation much faster.
If manual therapy techniques are performed at a very professional level, this has a beneficial effect on the condition of muscle tissue, vertebrae and the articular apparatus of the cervical spine.
The following manual therapy techniques are used:
- Kneading muscles on a specific segment. This technique helps to relieve muscle tension.
- Mobilization technique. The doctor performs a series of actions due to which the function of the articular apparatus is restored only in a certain area of the cervical spine.
- Manipulation technique. The procedure is a series of actions aimed at restoring the entire articular system that has suffered as a result of pathological changes. This method is used for cervical osteochondrosis and for the treatment of diseases known as common osteochondrosis.
If a patient is prescribed a course of manual therapy, he must choose his treating physician carefully. After all, even a small mistake is fraught with serious consequences, including the patient's disability.
Massage
Massage is another way to relieve the patient's condition during the worsening of osteochondrosis. Its application helps to relieve tension in the muscles of the neck, reduce the amount of lactic acid, the accumulation of which causes muscle spasm, and normalize the circulation of blood in the inflamed area. The combination of these effects results in a reduction in pain.
Surgical intervention
If the doctor sees that conservative treatment will not bring the desired result, he prescribes surgical intervention for the patient. There are some symptoms in which surgery is unavoidable.
- Narrowing of the spinal canal due to intervertebral hernia, resulting in compression of the vascular and nerve plexuses.
- Displacement of the vertebrae relative to the horizontal axis.
- Intervertebral hernia, can be single or multiple. This pathology is not an absolute indication for surgery if it does not cause associated symptoms. If, after several courses of conservative therapy, it was not possible to achieve a positive result, then they resort to surgery.
Therapy exercises
Therapeutic exercise is a method used in the follow-up phase. In the acute period, any exercise performed will bring nothing to the patient except further suffering. But when the attack is stopped, the inflammatory process is in the reducing phase, and then a course of physical therapy is prescribed as an assistant.
Thanks to exercise therapy, the blood circulation returns to normal and the muscles are strengthened. Spinal mobility improves and stiffness goes away, nerve tissue is restored, and pain is reduced.
When prescribing physical therapy, the doctor takes into account factors for which it is contraindicated. Exercise therapy should not be used if the patient suffers from diseases of the cardiovascular system, benign or malignant neoplasms, severe visual impairment, or diabetes mellitus.
Operation
The surgical intervention is carried out in two stages, but during one operation. At the first stage, the neurosurgeon removes the cause of the pain syndrome. This is a decompression method.
After this, the vertebrae are stabilized. The doctor takes into account that after the removal of part of the intervertebral disc, a malfunction of the articular apparatus of the spine occurs.
Therefore, the vertebrae are fixed using a special technique.
In modern orthopedic practice, artificial intervertebral discs are used, which makes it possible to prevent the fusion of the vertebrae when the damaged discs are completely removed.
What can you do at home?
Every patient suffering from cervical osteochondrosis should know what to do if it gets worse at home. First of all, it is strictly forbidden to move during an attack. The patient should lie on a flat surface and take a position where the muscles are as low as possible.
Give the patient an anesthetic injection. If this is not possible, give the patient an analgesic in tablet form. In addition, an anti-inflammatory ointment or gel must be applied to the neck area. The emergency doctor will tell you what to do next.
Intensification period of osteochondrosis: first aid at home
The treatment of spinal pathologies should only be entrusted to an experienced doctor. And yet there are cases when pain appears suddenly and restricts the patient's body. Acute exacerbation can occur, for example, if an intervertebral hernia is suspected. In this case, the patient cannot tolerate it and measures must be taken to improve his condition.
To do this you should take the following steps:
- if possible, place the patient on the bed or on the floor to immobilize the spine;
- wrap the sore spot with a woolen scarf (it is strictly forbidden to use a heating pad);
- If the patient is bent over because he is suffering severe pain, you should not try to straighten him. It is best to place it in the same position on a flat surface;
- give him a painkiller to drink. This could be Analgin, Diclofenac or Ibuprofen;
- call an ambulance.
The emergency doctor will decide how to alleviate the pain symptom, whether hospitalization is necessary or whether the treatment can be continued at home.
First aid for a patient
Acute osteochondrosis causes a lot of pain and discomfort, even limiting the mobility of the spine. If it is possible to call a doctor at home, it is better to do this, since self-medication is even more difficult. However, you should not suffer the pain until it comes. First aid can be provided to the patient:
- First, you should limit the mobility of the cervical spine as much as possible; better go to sleep.
- If the pain of osteochondrosis of the cervical spine is very severe, it can be alleviated with the help of medicines. If the discomfort is very severe, these medicines may not help you.
- The neck muscles should be relaxed so that the spasm goes away as quickly as possible.
- Topical medications can also be used to relieve pain.
- In the first days after the onset of an attack, it is necessary to use special orthopedic collars that will help to cope with it faster.
Many people are interested in the question of how long the exacerbation of cervical osteochondrosis lasts. This stage goes through differently for everyone. If treatment for an attack was started on time and the medication was effective, then its duration does not exceed several days. Otherwise, the patient will be in discomfort for several weeks.
How long the exacerbation period will be depends on the characteristics of the human body, as well as the speed of development of the disease. If the treatment of the pathology starts late, then this situation will be repeated.
Exacerbation during pregnancy
Exacerbation of disease during pregnancy is always undesirable. This brings suffering to the expectant mother and her child, but in addition, it is difficult to implement therapeutic measures due to contraindications to taking medications. Physiotherapy methods should not be prescribed for a pregnant woman.
Of the medicines used during pregnancy, Traumeel is allowed in the form of tablets, ointments and injections, and Paracetamol. In addition, physical therapy is prescribed, but under the strict supervision of a doctor. Exercises that require minimal physical activity are chosen. Yoga techniques are preferred.
Traditional medicine for severe pain in the spine: effective recipes
The use of traditional methods has a positive effect only in combination with drug treatment. You can eliminate pain and discomfort with cervical osteochondrosis using horseradish leaves.
They must be applied to the sore spot, secured with a bandage and adhesive tape and left overnight. Cosmetic clay mixed with water worked well as a compress.
Our grandmother treated all types of osteochondrosis using compresses made from grated raw potatoes mixed with honey. This mixture is smeared on the affected areas, secured firmly and left for several hours or overnight. Peppermint oil tincture is great for rubbing.
How to reduce relapse rates
If the disease can worsen, the person already has a large number of drugs that can relieve pain. However, without eliminating the cause, treatment will not be effective.
In addition, the unpleasant sensations may return again, and with a vengeance. With exacerbations of cervical osteochondrosis, the symptoms and treatment of the disease have already been discussed, it is necessary to understand how to prevent exacerbation.
To do this, the following preventive measures should be observed:
- A visit to the massage room. Of course, the specialist must be experienced and skilled, so as not to aggravate osteochondrosis of the cervical spine. Massage sessions allow you to develop the cervical spine, increasing its functionality and mobility. At the same time, both hard and soft tissues are better nourished, because blood circulation is normalized.
- Doing physical exercise. This is necessary to strengthen the muscular corset of the upper back.
- It is advisable to take walks every day before going to bed. This will allow you to have a good night's rest. It is best to avoid heavy sports, jumping and other exercises that involve high loads or sudden movements.
- If a person spends a lot of time in a static sitting position, then from time to time he needs to get up and warm up. When you are working sedentary, it is better to change your body position every quarter of an hour.
- Swimming is an excellent preventive measure for spinal problems. It not only relaxes the muscles, allowing you to relieve spasm, but at the same time strengthens them.
- For a night's sleep, it is best to choose an orthopedic mattress that maintains the correct position of the person's body throughout the night, no matter how he or she turns.
- For prevention, you can also use non-traditional methods, for example, acupuncture. Of course, you can't do this yourself, and you shouldn't trust your health to the first "master" you come across either. The procedure must be performed by an experienced specialist.
Prevention
To prevent the aggravation of the disease, it is recommended to follow some rules:
- Watch your posture.
- Avoid straining your muscles while working on a computer or sitting at a desk.
- Change your position every few minutes to prevent muscle stiffness.
- If you have to stay in one place for more than half an hour, then take a break to warm up.
- You must sleep on a flat surface; it is contraindicated armored sagging beds for patients with osteochondrosis.